Evaluation of Photovoltaic Module Enhancer Performance: Examining a New Factor for Cost and Energy Effectiveness

Photovoltaic (PV) enhancement technologies, including cooling systems, reflectors, and tracking mechanisms, are widely employed to improve the electrical performance of PV systems. However, the effectiveness of these technologies should be evaluated not only in terms of performance improvement but also by considering the associated implementation costs. To address this need, previous studies introduced the Cost Effectiveness Factor (FCE), which integrates power output and manufacturing cost into a single performance indicator. While FCE is useful for short-term and experimental assessments, it is based on instantaneous power output and does not account for the cumulative energy generated over extended operating periods. Furthermore, many experimental and field studies on PV enhancement technologies, particularly PV cooling systems, report their performance in terms of energy generation (kWh) rather than instantaneous power output (W), creating a need for an energy-based assessment methodology. Therefore, this study proposes a new Cost–Energy Effectiveness Factor (FCEE) that extends the concept of FCE by incorporating energy output instead of power output, thereby enabling a more comprehensive evaluation of long-term techno-economic performance. The proposed indicator integrates the output energy of PV systems with and without enhancers, the manufacturing cost of PV enhancers, and the unit cost of PV electricity into a single dimensionless factor. In addition, a theoretical minimum value (FCEE,min) is introduced to establish a benchmark for performance evaluation. Comprehensive sensitivity analyses were performed to investigate the influence of key technical and economic parameters, including the output energy of the enhanced and unenhanced PV systems, manufacturing cost, the unit PV electricity cost, and maximum output power under standard test conditions. The results indicate that FCEE decreases with increasing enhanced PV energy output and electricity value; however, it increases with higher manufacturing costs and greater energy production from the reference PV system. In contrast, variations in the maximum output power affect only the benchmark value (FCEE,min) without influencing the actual FCEE values. The proposed indicator was further validated using data obtained from real photovoltaic cooling systems, demonstrating its applicability under practical operating conditions and confirming its suitability for real-world PV enhancement scenarios. Compared with FCE, the proposed FCEE provides a more realistic representation of the long-term benefits of PV enhancement technologies because it evaluates accumulated energy generation rather than instantaneous power output. The indicator successfully differentiates between effective, neutral, and ineffective PV enhancers and offers a practical tool for researchers, designers, manufacturers, and investors seeking to compare PV enhancement technologies from both energy and economic perspectives. Consequently, FCEE can serve as an effective preliminary screening and comparative assessment tool for PV enhancement technologies, thereby promoting the efficient utilization of sustainable energy resources, while detailed investment decisions should be supported by comprehensive techno-economic analyses that consider lifecycle costs, discount rates, financing conditions, and other project-specific economic factors.